The Ten Best Miami Restaurants to Open in 2022
Miami continues to grow by leaps and bounds. Real estate prices continue to rise, tourists continue to arrive by the planeload, and traffic is at an all-time-record annoyance level.
The city’s hospitality industry is a major reflection of Miami’s bullish economy. The restaurant scene is truly exciting: The Michelin Guide arrived in the Magic City, bestowing stars on locally owned restaurants and putting a worldwide spotlight on establishments we have known about and loved all along.
And, though restaurateurs from across the country continue to open outposts in Miami, the best restaurants to open in Miami are homegrown.
In alphabetical order, here are the ten best restaurants to open in Miami in 2022.
Jeremy Ford opens Beauty and the Butcher.
Grove Bay Group photo
Beauty and the Butcher
6915 Red Rd., Coral Gables
305-665-9661
beautyandthebutcher.com
Chef Jeremy Ford and Grove Bay Hospitality Group were fresh off the heels of achieving Michelin-star status for Stubborn Seed when they announced that they would once again partner on a restaurant. Beauty and the Butcher (named for Ford’s daughter,” the beauty,” and Ford, “the butcher”) is designed to be less formal than Ford’s tasting menu restaurant in Miami Beach, but the service and quality have the same exacting standards. As the name implies, the restaurant offers organic chicken, charcuterie plates, and beef ribs, but there are also vegetables and fish. Feeling like a baller? Order the Wagyu tomahawk ($400) for the table.
Beef Wellington at Brasserie Laurel
Photo by Fujifilmgirl
Brasserie Laurel
698 NE First Ave., Miami
305-330-9048
brasserielaurel.com
The only chef/restaurateur to have two restaurants recognized by Michelin this year (Ariete was awarded a Michelin star and Chug’s Diner received a Bib Gourmand), Michael Beltran is putting his spin on a traditional French menu at Brasserie Laurel. At this downtown Miami restaurant, Beltran offers his takes on old-school classics such as beef Wellington, foie gras, and escargot, making these old chestnuts as exciting as the first sight of the Eiffel Tower in person.
Contessa offers northern Italian cuisine and an “emergency” Aperol spritz.
Major Food Group photo
Contessa
111 NE 41st St., Miami
contessaristorante.com
Last year, Major Food Group took Miami by storm with the opening of Carbone. If you’re still waiting for a table at the swanky South Beach red-sauce restaurant, check out Contessa instead. This Design District restaurant is just as beautiful but in a less-hectic “is a celebrity sitting next to me” way. No, you won’t be able to order the rigatoni vodka, but a heaping plate of spicy lobster capellini will more than do the trick. Don’t forget to order the squash carpaccio — it’s arguably one of the prettiest plates in town.
Eating House returns to the Miami dining scene with a larger space, new menu items, and a full liquor bar.
Eating House photo
Eating House
128 Giralda Ave., Coral Gables
786-580-3745
eatinghousemiami.com
Giorgio Rapicavoli’s original House was one of Miami’s first pop-ups-turned-permanent restaurants. Rapicavoli quickly won the hearts and respect of Miami with his non-traditional and ever-changing menu that playfully took childhood favorites and turned them into sophisticated dishes. Now, Eating House grows up at this new location with a fresh modern-industrial vibe with dishes like “Amish Chicken Two Ways” and his beloved cavatelli carbonara.
Martinis at Fox’s Lounge
Fox’s Lounge photo
Fox’s Lounge
6030 S. Dixie Hwy., Miami
305-703-6553
foxslounge.com
The team behind Lost Boy has lovingly revived one of Miami’s most cherished lounges. Dubbed “Miami’s darkest bar,” walking into Fox’s does leave one momentarily disoriented, but one sip from a perfectly constructed martini is all it takes for you to know you’re home. The menu is a collection of classics: fried chicken, prime rib, and shrimp cocktail. A trip to Fox’s is truly a walk down memory lane.
Clam chowder fries at the Katherine, which opened in January 2022
Photo by Laine Doss
The Katherine
723 E Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale
754-216-0690
thekatherinerestaurant.com
Named for Miami chef Timon Balloo’s wife, Marissa Katherine, this restaurant is an ode to the dishes the two recall from their travels. Take the clam chowder fries, a nod to Balloo’s childhood in the San Francisco Bay area plus part of his career working in Belgium, and sprinkled with his wife’s love of clams and French fries. Delicately spiced jerk chicken thighs — crisp on the outside and tender on the inside — pay homage to Balloo’s Caribbean roots. The Katherine is also every Miamian’s excuse to utilize the Brightline to Fort Lauderdale — the restaurant is only a few blocks from the high-speed train’s Fort Lauderdale station.
John Martin’s in Coral Gables
Bigtime Design Studios photo
John Martin’s Irish Pub
253 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables
johnmartinsmiami.com
For three decades, John Martin’s Irish Pub was the place to grab a pint of Guinness with friends in Coral Gables. The restaurant and pub, opened in 1989 by friends Martin Lynch and John Clarke, became famous for its friendly atmosphere, live music, and its annual blowout St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. Every city around the world needs a good pub, which was the one for Coral Gables. When the restaurant closed in 2020, it was greatly missed until Breakwater Hospitality Group, along with Black Market Miami owner Erick Passo, announced it would revive this classic bar. John Martin’s has reopened, giving Coral Gables a place for neighbors to congregate again.
Miami chef Brad Kilgore is behind the menu at MaryGold’s inside the Arlo Wynwood.
MaryGold’s photo
MaryGold’s Florida Brasserie
2217 NW Miami Ct., Miami
786-522-6601
marygoldsbrasserie.com
A dream team of Miami hospitality is behind MaryGold’s, the new bistro inside the Arlo Wynwood hotel. Bar Lab’s Elad Zvi and Gabe Orta have partnered with chef Brad Kilgore for a sublime food and drink menu. Kilgore returns to the neighborhood that put him on the world culinary map, creating food that manages to be a combination of gorgeous and accessible. For example, the “Chicken & the Egg” dish starts with a soft, silky egg and finishes with a gorgeous roasted chicken. At a recent dinner, Kilgore visited tables, explaining dishes and looking joyful for his return to his culinary stomping ground. The feeling is mutual, chef.
Dishes at Mayfair Grill
Photo by Patrick Michael Chin
Mayfair Grill
3000 Florida Ave., Miami
305-441-0000
mayfair-grill.com
Lost Boy & Co. has transformed the restaurant at Coconut Grove’s Mayfair House Hotel & Garden into a friendly restaurant. Chef Sean Bernal helms the open kitchen, which turns out meats and vegetables from its wood-burning oven and Josper grill. The flavors of the American Southwest are given a spotlight: cactus fries and Najavo bread topped with hen of the wood mushrooms are must-haves before tucking into a smoky picahna steak.
The crowd at Smorgasburg Miami
Photo by Laine Doss
Smorgasburg
2600 NW Second Ave., Miami
954-399-1583
smorgasburgmiami.com
Smorgasburg started in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, as an open-air food hall offering food by talented local chefs. The concept opened in Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood in the summer, but now is the perfect time to spend an afternoon exploring the various food vendors. Offerings change, but a recent Saturday had us starting with magnificent grilled oysters and moving on to a Lebanese sandwich, raclette, and doughnuts for dessert. There’s something for everyone at this dog-friendly, family-friendly spot that turns a weekend afternoon into a virtual culinary trip around the world.
